The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-03-17
Or. sIEMEns' THEORY.
The Day May Come When Electricity
VIII Supply Mankind With
Fuel and Food.

e. Fuel and Food.
DR.: Werner Siemens; one of tho most
distinguished men of science now liv-
ing, stirred up, few years ago, a
rather lively controversy in the scien-
tific world BY suggestion that it might
be possible, after the worlds supply of
coal and wood had been exhausted, to
warm the chilled bodies of the unfortu-
hate men of that period by means of
some application of electricity as yet
undiscovered, with which he coupled,
also, the idea that it was at least con-
ceivable that similar means might be
employed for nourishing the human
race after all vestiges ofplant life had
disappeared from the earth. 1t is not
unlikely that even scientific men are
fond of good dinner now and then.
and the idea of feeding on electric cur
rents seems to have been more than
they could endure, for DR.. Siemens was
attacked with considerable warmth as =
visionary, who amused himself with
idle fancies instead of scientific reason
ing. A few months ago, however, the
venerabl philosopher took occasion to
explain his theory, which. curious as it
8. as ne says, anything but the idle
fancy which it was accused of being.
Science believes" said DR.. Siemens.
in the interesting address which We find
quoted in the Schwcizerischc Bduzei-
t,tng, ''that all substances have. con-
nected with them, q certain portion of
energy, which, like the elements with
which it is associated, is indestructible;
modifying often its form and relation
ships, but always traceable and con-
slant throughout its changes. When a
substance combines chemically with an
other, it often happens that the COM
pound substance formed by the COM
bination, by some quality of its consti-
tuition which we knew nothing of, asso-
ciates itself with smaller relative pro-
portion of energy than that proper to
the substances of which it is composed,
and in the act of combination this sur
plus of energy, which no longer finds
place in the new substance. is set free,
and manifests itself 40 heat or light.
The burning of coal is a familiar exam
pie of this. The carbon of a given
quantity of coal, and tho oxygen with
which that quantity of coal VIII unite,
possess more energy than the carbonic
acid formed by the union of the two
elementary substances; and in that
union the excess of energy is disengaged
as heat. The same thing takes place
when wood or any other substance is
burned. Now it is remarkable that,
although we can obtain this manifesta-
ton OF surplus energy to warm our
hands with, by the combination of many
Of the substances now existing around
us, the separation of the compounds,
30 that we can combine their elements
again when we want more heat, is q
very different matter, and when all the
coal and wood are gone we shall find
It very hard to get them back again out
Of the carbonic acid into which we
have resolved thenL In fact. there arc
only two common agencies By which
the bond between chemical compounds
can be directly dissolved. One of these
is light, the decomposing effect of which
is as yet not understood, and the other
is electricity, which IS now constantly
used to effect chemical dccomposition
in the arts.'' 1t is certainly not unreal
sonable to suppose that we shall some
time use it more effectively for this pur-
pose than we now 60, and. although
the decomposition of carbonic acid, or
Of water, which is perfectly practical
bic, would yield rather unmanageable
gases, it is, as DR.. S:emens says. quite
within the bounds of possibility that
the mechanical force derived from
wind, or falling water, or waves con-
verified into electricity by revolving
magnets or otherwise, may hereafter
be used for producing, by decomposi-
ton, potassium, or magnesium, or some
other solid, portable. and tolerably ef-
fective fuel.
While we could reconcile ourselves, if
necessary, to the idea of sitting around
a potassium fire on winter evenings,
there would be still considerable step
to be taken before reaching the produc-
ton of food by electricity, and here DR..
Siemcns only ventures to indicate
rather vaguely the way which he thinks
It possible that science might follow.
So far as we know, the most essential
element of food is nitrogen, which we
consume in combination with y great
variety of other substances. Now these
combinations of nitrogen with other
substances are effected in nature mainly
by the obscure processes of vegetable
Life, nitrogen in its natural state having
no disposition to combine with other
element. even when aided by heat. By
indirect chemical action it is possible
to force nitrogen into combination with
oxygen, to form nitric acid, and with
hydrogen. to form ammonia; but
neither of these substances is edible,
and after all vegetable life has disap-
peared from the world we should Ger
tainly starve if we had nothing better
than such things to depend upon. Here,
however, electricity comes to our aid in
a new way. Although one form of
electric current, that of low tension,
forms the most powerful decomposing
agent we know, 4 current of high ten
sion may be made, either directly or
by induction, to exert powerful COM
b;ning force. BY passing the sparks of
an induced current of high tension
through air the condition of the atmos-
pheric oxygen is changed. 1t becomes
ozone, and in that form scizes upon the
nitrogen with which it was before only
mixed and combines with it, forming
vapor of nitric acid, which shows itself
to our senses by the "sulphuric smelr'
which follows the sparks of FRACTIONAL
electrical machine, or Ruhmkorff coil.
or flash of lightning. Whether nitro
gen may by similar means be made to
unite with carbon. hydrogen, and the
other elements of organic substances
it is for the electrical chemistry of the
future to decide; but it can not be said
that it is scientifically impossible.
american Architcct.
Vicissltudes of Faro.
A Los Angeles youth who has been
led into evil associations has lately